Face fit masks

Nov 15, 2018 Last reply: 7 years ago 11 Replies

My letter for face fit testing says "Please do not eat, drink or smoke



30 minutes before your face fitting test"

Why?



If it's for a better fit then surely it will be fit better if I do the things I would normally do before wearing the mask when I am at work. Things such as eating, drinking and smoking.



Or do they expect me to fast from all three for 30 minutes before wearing the mask when at work?


Maybe so you don't breathe or dribble nasty smells or allergens over their face-measuring apparatus or samples which will be used on many people?

Owain

I think the test is whether or not you can taste a spray, so I'd guess the fear is that a vindaloo or half an ounce of shag would risk you tasting nothing even without the mask on.

I'm sure they decontaminate between fittings or everyone will go down with whatever bugs the last patient had!

I'm surprised technology has not come to the rescue of this and made a set of masks that really does fit anyone by now.

Brian

I guess he could grow a beard that would confuse them. Brian

From the instructions on one of the 3M testing kits:

"Eating and drinking beforehand They should not eat or drink anything other than water within 30 minutes of their allocated time-slot. This reduces the risk of food or drink consumed earlier leaving a residual taste in the mouth that could be confused with a fit test failure"

Look at the bright side, they did not prohibit shagging ;-)

One would hope so.

Owain

Adam, I'm curious to know what envirenment you'll be working in with such a mask.

I am trying to remember just exactly what it was that we were sweeping up that the HSE fined us for when they caught us sweeping it up.

It was a white dust or powder, certainly not asbestos or cocaine but it cost us a £2K fine.

I wonder if it might have been just generic dust from cement, concrete, plasterboard etc. AIUI the HSE come down these days not just on silica dust (with silicosis in mind) but dust generally (with an eye to COPD et al).

The fine was hidden in the extras bill.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required